Clock



Junel l5, 1937. P. s. VAN BLOEM 2,084,050

CLOCK vFiled June 26, 1955 INVENTOR PAUL SCHUYLER VAN BLOEM lla ATTORNEYS Patented June l5, 1937 Endet@ Paul Schuyler Van Bloem, Great Neck, N. Y., as-

signor to Viking Products Corporation.' New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 26, 1935, Serial No. 28,41'1rv 9 Claims.

This invention relates more particularly to improvements in a clock of the type disclosed in my col-pending application Serial No. 9,605, filed March 6, 1935. In that type of clock a glass panel bears the dial indicia and a source of illumination is disposed to cast light rays against an edge of the panel for transmission of the rays through the panel in the plane of the latter and for deflection of rays so transmitted forward 1from the front face of the panel in a manner to render the dial indicia luminous.

Important objects of the present invention are, to provide a clock of said type of improved design torender it more satisfactory in service; to provide for improved ventilation of the clock to discharge the heat generated by the illuminating means; to provide for prevention of objectionable leakage of light rays from the base of the clock without impairing the ventilation; to provide for improved support of the luminous dial panel; and to so co--ordinate the means for attaining said objects as to provide a simple and inexpensive construction.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the drawing, Fig. l is a front face view of the improved clock;

Fig. 2 a section approximately on the line 2 2 of Fig. l and on a larger Scale;

Fig. 3 a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 a .section on the line Li--il of Fig. 2.

The improved clock includes a hollow, box-like base i which may be formed of a single metal casting. At its under side the base is entirely open while its upper side has a transverse slot 2 near the center. A transparent glass dial panel or face panel 3 is supported in an upright position with its lower edge margin extending into said slot and its edge exposed to the interior of the base. Within the base an electric lamp l is mounted in a position directly beneath the lower edge of the panel. A mounting 5, borne by the base, removably supports the lamp.

The front face of the panel is flat and smooth over its entire area to reiiect light. The rear face of the panel has areas ii which are parallel to the front face and also made smooth to reflect light. A rather large central area 'i of the rear face is roughened and smaller roughened areas 8 on the rear face are arranged around the area 'I in a circular series to form the hour indications of the clock dial. The roughened areas 'l and t are silvered for brilliant reflection. Around the outside oi the roughened dial areas, and between the areas 8, the rear face of the panel is flat and smooth and the panel is quite transparent.

Rays from they lamp ll enter the lower edge of the panel Sand are transmitted upward therethrough. In the passage of the light through the panel, rays `are reflected back and forth internally between the front face and the flat smooth areas of the rear face so that practically no light emerges from said areas or from the portions of the front face of the panel opposite said areas, and said portions are therefore nonluminous. Said back and forth internal reflection is due to the fact that the rays make an angle with the panel faces within the critical angle so that they cannot emerge from the panel faces. Other light rays within the panel are, however, reectedfrom the roughened and silvered areas at angles to the front face greater than the criticalangle so that they emerge from the front face and cause the dial-dening areas 'l `and 8 to appear luminous. Directly back of the central area 8 of the panel there isfdisposed a drum-like casing 9 forming Ia housirflg for an electric clock mechanism ormovement. Said movement may be of a conventional type and illustration of it is omitted, to simplify the drawing. The clock hands l are mounted to travel over the front face of the panel, and the panel has a central aperture Il through which extends the operative connection i2 between the movement and the hands. The casing 9 is supported on the base by a tubular metal column or standard I3 open at both ends. Its lower end is in register with an aperture M in the upper wall of the base I. Preferably the base has an upstanding flange l5 around said aperture and tted into the lower end of the column. Around the exterior of the flange I5 there is iitted a washer or gasket I6 of suitable heat-insulating material, interposed between the upper surface of the base and the lower end of. the column. The lower end of the column has an external flange i'i secured to the base by screws I8 or other suitable iastening means. At its upper end also, the column has an external flange i9 which may be permanently secured to the drum 9, or, a washer or gasket of suitable heat-insulating material may be interposed between the drum and the flanged end of the column, and the latter secured to the drum by. screws 2l.

By means of the structure just described the casing or drum is rigidly supported on the base. In turn, thecasing 9 supports the panel 3. For the support of the panel there is a tubular member or bushing 22 inserted through the central aperture II in the panel and through a registering aperture 23 in the forward wall 24 of the casing 9. Said bushing surrounds the operative connection I2 between the clock movement and the hands. At its outer end the bushing has a head 22e to bear against the front face of the panel. The inner end of the bushing is threaded and screwed into a boss on the inner side of the casing wall 24. Thereby, the panel is clamped to the casing and firmly secured and supported at its center of gravity instead of at its edges.

Within the base I and the column I3 there is provided Ventilating means to circulate air around the lamp 4 and disch-arge the y.air from the base so as to prevent objectionable heating V.of the base,

the casing 9 and its contained clock movement.`

For such ventilatio-n there 'is provided a draft conduit or passage surrounding the .lamp and leading upward and rearward therefrom to a discharge opening atthe back of the lamp. The conduit is defined by baille walls some of `which are an integral lpart of the base I and others separately formed and det-achably secured vwithin the base. These removable sections also serve as light reflectors. There `is a removable wall section 25 sloping downward and forward from the forward edge of the panel-receivingslot 2. This wall section may be formed of sheet metal. Its lower edge is bent forward to form a ange 26 and the latter is detachably secured by means of screws 21 to lugs 28 formed with and depending from the upper Wall of the base. Preferably washers 29of heat-insulating material are disposed between the flange 26 and said lugs. Another wall section 30 is downwardly curved to extend around the under side of the lamp 4, in spaced relation thereto, and has a slopingrear portion extending upward and rearward to a point adjacent the rear side of the aperture I4 in the upper wall of the base I. At vits forward edge the wall section 30 has a flange 3I detachably fastened by screws 32 to the.lugs.23; A portion of the top wall of the base rearward of the slot 2 forms an upper section ofthe conduit lwall and includes a sloping section 33 extending from the forward side of the `aperture I4 upward and rearward across the interior of the "hollow column I3 to a point at the back wall of the column spaced materially above the lower end of the column. Below said point the column has, in its rear wall, a vent aperture 34 of liberal size.

The -wall sections described define a .conduit or draft passage surrounding the lamp and extending upward and rearward from the lamp to the rear aperture 34 for discharge of hot air rearward from the clock. Within the base the exterior of the draft conduit is vsurrounded by air space and, at the bottom, the base is always open to said space and the base has feet to support it elevated above a supporting surface, for free admission of atmosphere. For admission of atmosphere to the conduit, the lower wallsection 30 has one or more slots 3B located .at a low point. below and rearward of the lamp and well below the rear vent 34, and facing downward and rearward to prevent escape of light rays to the front where they would `be objectionable. For additional admission of atmosphere the conduit wall sections 25 and 30 may terminate short of the opposite side walls of the base, as shown. Said wall sections are opaque and they may be made of sheet metal.

In addition to the rear vent 34 the draft has also an upward vent afforded by the panel-receiving slot 2 in the top of the base. I'he slot is materially wider than the thickness of the glass panel 3 and it aords a vent space directly back of the lower edge margin of the panel and directly over the lamp. In order to obscure said space from the front and prevent objectionable forward escape of light through the panel, the front wall 31 of the slot is made higher than the rear wall thereof. The additional height of said wall is provided by an integral lip 38 on the to-p of the base and covering the lower margi'n of the front face of the panel.

In order to obtain maximum illumination of the panel 3 from the lamp the inner surfaces of the wall sections 25 and 3G are polished smooth to .r "form light reflectors 25*l and 30a.

The reflector 25a casts rays downward to the reflector 30et and the latter reflects the rays upward to the lower edge ofthe panel 3. The wall 30 is releasably secured in place by the screws 32 so that it may be removed for access to the lamp.

Provision is made to prevent escape of light through the rear air vent 34. For this purpose the upper wall of the base is formed with depending baille walls 39 located between the lamp and said vent. The walls 39 are arranged in a spaced staggered relation to permit air flow around their edges to the vent, and at the same time block passage of light to the vent. y

The upper portion of the column I3 forms an air space between the conduit Wall section 33 and the clock casing 9 to further insulate the clock movement in said casing from heat generated by the lamp. The electrical connections for the clock movement and for the lamp extend through said column space. In its rear wall the column has an aperture in which there is fitted a bushing o-r eyelet 4U for entrance of the electrical cords for the clock movement and for the lamp. Similarly the casing 9 and the wall section 33 are apertured and provided with bushings or eyelets 4I and 42 respectively, for passage of the clock cords upward into the casing and for passage of the lamp cords downwardly into and through the draft conduit to the lamp mounting.

It will be seen that my invention provides for efiicient ventilation of the clock, for insulation of the clock movement from the heat generated by the lamp, for prevention of objectionable light leakage, for utilization of the conduit walls for "f light reflection, and for supportk of the glass face panel in an improved manner at its center of gravity instead of at one or more of its edges, to permit it to expand and contract under temperature changes and relieve it of breaking strains. It will be seen also thatthe structural features for accomplishing these purposes are so designed and correlated as to provide a desirably simple, compact and inexpensive structure.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a luminous face clock having a hollow base with a Vslot in its upper side, a lamp within the base in register with said slot, a face panel of transparent material extendingr upward from the base and with its lower edge exposed through said slo't, and a casing for a clock mechanism back of said panel and spaced above the base; a hollow column rearward of y said panel and supporting said casing on the base and having at its rear side an air outlet; air baille walls within the base and within said column defining an air draft passage containing and surrounding the lamp within the base .and extending rearward and upward from the lamp and across the interior of the column to said air outlet at the rear of the column, the base having air space therein at the front, rear and bottom of the exterior of said passage and open to atmosphere, and the passage having an entrance for air below the level of said outlet; and a lightrefiecting surface within the passage and beneath the lamp to reilect rays iro-m the latter upward.

2. In combination, a luminous face clock having a hollow base with a slot in its upper side, a lamp within the base in register with said slot, a face panel of transparent material extending upward from the base and with its lower edge exposed through said slot, and a casing for a clock mechanism back of said panel and spaced above the base; a hollow column rearward of said panel and supporting said casing on the base and having at its rear side an air outlet; and air baiie walls within the base and within said column dening an air draft passage containing and surrounding the lamp within the base and extending rearward and upward from the lamp and across the interior of the column to said air outlet at the rear of the column, the base having air space therein at the front, rear and bottom of the exterior of said passage and open to atmosphere, and the passage having an entrance for atmosphere, below the level of said outlet.

3. In combination, a luminous face clock having a hollow base with a slot in its upper side, a lamp within the base in register with said slot, a face panel of transparent material extending upward from the base and with its lower edge exposed through said slot, for the purpose set forth, and a casingpfor a clock mechanism back of said panel and spaced above the base; a hollow column rearward of said panel and supporting said casing on the base and having at its rear side an air outlet; air baffle walls within the base and within said column defining an air draft passage containing and surrounding the lamp within the base and extending rearward and upward from the lamp and across the interior of the column to said air outlet at the rear of the column, the base having air space therein at the front, rear and bottom of the exterior of said passage and open to atmosphere, said slot in the upper side of the base being wider than said edge of the panel to afford another outlet for said passage, and the passage having an entrance for air below the level oi said outlets and directed rearward to prevent forward escape of light rays; barile means to prevent escape of light through said rearwardly directed outlet; and a light-reflecting surface within the passage and beneath the lamp to reflect rays from the latter upward.

4. In combination, a luminous face clock having a hollow base with a slot in its upper side, a lamp within the base in register with said slot, a face panel or" transparent material extending upward from the base and with its lower edge exposed through said slot, and a casing for a clock mechanism back of said panel and spaced above the base; a hollow column rearward of said panel and supporting said casing on the base and having at its rear side an air outlet; a releasable mounting for said column on the base including heat-insulating means to obstruct transmission or heat from the base to the column; and air baie walls within the base and within said column defining an air draft passage containing and surrounding the lamp witloin the base and extending rearward and upward from the lamp and across the interior of the column to said air outlet at the rear of the column, the column having an air space therein between said passage and said casing, the base having air space therein at the front, rear and bottom of the exterior or said passage and open to atmosphere, the passage having an entrance for atmosphere below the level of said outlet, said passage-forming walls having a bottom section secured in place releasably for access to the lamp7 and said bottom wall section having a light-reflecting inner surface to reflect rays from the lamp upward.

5. A luminous face clocl: having a hollow base with a lamp therein a slot in its upper side, a casing for a clock mechanism supported on the base, a clock face panel of transparent material extending upward from the base and in iront of said casing, said panel having an aperture located approximately centrally thereof, the clock having hands in front of the panel and with operative connections extending through said aperture, means extending through said aperture. and supporting the panel on said casing in a position with the lower edge of the panel exposed within said slot to receive against it rays from the lamp for the purpose set forth, baiile means within the base deiining an air passage containing and surrounding the lamp and open for admission of atmosphere below the lamp, said slot being wider than the thickness of said panel edge to afford a vent for said air passage at the rear face of the panel for escape of hot air from the lamp, and the front wall of the slot extending to a higher level than the rear wall thereof to obstruct escape of light rays from said vent forward from the front face of the panel.

6. A luminous face clock having a hollow base with a lamp therein and a slot in its upper side, a casing for a clock mechanism supported on the base, a clock face panel of transparent material extending upward from the base and in front of said casing, said panel having an aperture located approximately centrally thereof, the clock having hands in iront of the panel and with operative connections extending through said aperture, and means extending through said aperture and supporting the panel on said casing in a position with the lower edge of the panel exposed within said slot to receive against it rays from the lamp, for the purpose set forth, the slot being wider than the thickness of said panel edge to afford a vent at the rear face of the panel for escape of hot air from the lamp, and the front wall of the slot extending to a higher level than the rear wall thereof to obstruct escape of light rays from said vent forward from the front faceof the panel.

'7. A luminous face clock having a hollow base with a lamp therein. and a slot in its upper side, a casing for a clock mechanism supported on the base, a clock face panel of transparent material extending upwardly from the base and in iront of said casing, means supporting said panel on said casing, with the lower edge of the panel exposed to the interior oi the base through said slot to receive against it rays from the lamp, for the purpose set forth, the slot being wider than the thickness of said panel edge to afford a vent for escape of hot air from the lamp past th-e rear face. of the panel, and an opaque wall at the lower margin oi the panel and extending above said vent to obstruct escape of light rays from said vent forward from the iront face of the panel.

8. A luminous face clock comprising a hollow base with a lamp therein, a face panel of transparent material extending upward from the base and with its lower edge exposed to the interior of the base to receive against it rays from the lamp, for the purpose set forth, and a casing for a clock mechanism back of said panel and spaced above the base, characterized in 'that a hollow column is borne by the base anddisposed rearward of the, panel and supports said casing on the base and is open at its lower end to the interior of the base and closed at its upper end to the interior of said casing, said column has at its rear side an air outlet above the base, and the base has an air inlet spaced below its upper side, for iiow of air through the interior of the base, past the lamp therein and out through said column outlet.

9.`A luminous face clock comprising a hollow base with a lamp therein, a face panel of transparent material extending upward from the base and with its lower edge exposed to the interior of the base to receive against it rays from the lamp, for the purpose set forth, and a casing for a clock mechanism back of said panel and spaced above they base, characterized in that a hollow column is borne by the base and disposed rearward of said panel and supports said casing on the base and is open at its lower end to the interior of the base, said column has at its rear side an air outlet above the base, the base has an air inlet spaced below the upper side of the base, for flow of air through the interior of the base, past the lamp and out through said column outlet, and light baille means is disposed between the lamp and said column outlet to obstruct escape of light rays through the outlet.

PAUL SCHUYLER VAN BLOEM. 

